1. Healthcare

Mon. 2/2-Wed. 2/4 – OLSAT Testing (Grade 1) 9:15 – 10:00
Mon. 2/2 – Field Trip (IU Class) 9:00 – 1:30 @ IU21
Tues. 2/3 – PTO Meeting (All Invited) 7:00 in the Library
Tues. 2/3 – Go Math Parent Presentation 6:30 @ Parkway Manor Elementary
Wed. 2/4 – Field Trip (Grade 2) “Miss Nelson” 12:35 – 2:15 @ PHS
Fri. 2/6 – School Store / DARE Program (Grade 5) / REPORT CARDS GO HOME!
Mon. 2/9 – Go Math Parent Presentation 6:30 @ Fogelsville Elementary
Thurs. 2/12 – Valentine Parties 2:30 in the Classrooms
Fri. 2/13 - Mon. 2/16 – NO SCHOOL – President’s Day Holiday
Tues. 2/17 – February Birthday Luncheons (Grades 3,5)
Wed. 2/18 – Field Trip (IU Class) 9:15 – 12:00 @ Jordan Lanes
Wed. 2/18 – Field Trip (Grade 3) “Bach to School” 12:35 @ PHS
Wed. 2/18 – Kratzer Kountry Fair Meeting 7:00 in the Library
Thurs. 2/19 – School Physicals
Fri. 2/20 – School Store / DARE Program (Grade 5)
Wed. 2/25 – February Birthday Luncheons (Grades 1,2,4)
Fri. 2/27 – DARE Program (Grade 5)
FEBRUARY 2015
Sunday
Monday
1
Tuesday
2
Day 2
8
9
Day 3
15
16
NO
SCHOOL
22
23
Day 4
School Office:
610-351-5820
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
3
Day 3
10
Day 4
17
4
Day 4
11
Day 1
18
5
6
Day 1
12
Day 2
19
Day 2
13
Day 3
20
Day 4
24
Day 1
Day 1
25
Day 2
Day 2
26
Day 3
Day 3
27
Day 4
7
14
21
28
Inside this Issue
-Principal’s Message
-Speech Snip~its / Counselor Connection
-Reading Connection/Nurse’s Nook
-Curriculum Corner
-PTO News
1
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
Dear Parents/Guardians,
WOW! February is already here! January was frigid, but seemed to fly
by so quickly. As of recent, it seems that winter is kicking into high
gear! Let’s hope there is not a repeat of last year’s snow. We had a
great time celebrating with the Phantoms’ mascot, MeLVin this past
week! The students had a great time and learned about their GOAL
program.
Our students are busy preparing to take some upcoming standardized
tests. The OLSAT testing window for Grade 1 is from February 2nd –
4th. Our intermediate grades are busy preparing the kids for the
upcoming PSSA testing in April.
The PTO Meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 3rd at 7:00 p.m. in
the Kratzer Library. We hope to see you there!
With Kratzer Pride,
Karen M. Aulisio
Principal
2
Speech Snip-its…
As February begins, we are reminded to continue to take care of our teeth
since it is National Children’s Dental Health Month. Your teeth are very
important, not only for eating but for speaking, too. Did you know that your
teeth are one of many speech helpers? Yes, they are! Other speech helpers
include your voice box, ears, nose, tongue, roof of mouth and lips. These all
play important roles as we converse throughout the day. Ask your child to
name some speech helpers. You may be pleasantly surprised how many they
know!
~Mrs. Lisa Barrow, Speech Therapist
Counselor Connection
How Important is Parent Involvement?
In today’s busy society it is often difficult to find the time to attend
your children’s school events. Many parents say their children don’t
notice or aren’t bothered by their absence. However, research shows
that parent involvement makes a huge difference in your child’s school
success. This doesn’t mean you have to attend every school activity,
obviously work and other home priorities make that difficult to do. But
if you can’t make into school for an event, perhaps you can send in
treats for a party at another time, or invite your child to take into
school one of his/her favorite books that you read at home.
Talk about school, help with homework, monitor their friendships, and
keep communication going with their teacher. Anything that you can do
to show your child that you value education will benefit them in the
long run. You’ll see improvements in attendance, behavior and grades.
So find simple ways to contribute. Stay connected throughout the
school years. Small investments now will yield a lifetime of rewards.
~Mrs. Christine Bankos, Guidance Counselor
3
Parents and teachers realize that reading is a basic life skill. That is, it is a cornerstone
for a child’s success in school, and, indeed, throughout life. Certainly the best way to
become a better reader is to read, read, read!
One thing parents can do to help students become successful readers is to help their child
make “connections”. The following are ways to help your child understand the value of
reading and how it is connected to so many essential things in life. Understanding the
purpose for reading often helps children understand why and how reading can help
them…and be fun too! KEEP READING!!
Types of Connections:
Text to Self
What I read reminds me of the time I … because ...
The author said ... that reminds me of ...
I felt like the character when ...
Text to Text
What I just read reminds me of when I read ... because ...
It reminds me of something I read because ...
Text to World
It reminds me of something I heard about because …
~Miss Nikki Gelfo – Reading Specialist
February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. Good dental health is important
for many reasons. Your teeth provide structural support for the face muscles, they are part of the
digestive system, and they are essential for speech. Good dental health is also important in
keeping a beautiful smile.
Taking care of your teeth helps prevent plaque, a clear film that sticks to your teeth.
Plaque along with the bacteria and food particles left on or between your teeth softens the enamel
on teeth until a cavity forms.
It’s important to encourage your children to take care of their teeth by following these
steps:
• Brush at least twice a day, after breakfast and before bedtime. Brush more often if
possible, especially after eating sweet snacks.
• Brushing properly breaks down plaque. Brush all of your teeth, not just the front
ones. Spend time on the sides and in the back of your teeth. Spend at least 2-3
minutes brushing. You can use a timer or a favorite song to pass the time.
• Be sure to use a toothbrush with soft bristles and apply only a pea-sized amount of
toothpaste to the brush. You should get a new toothbrush about every three months.
• Learn how to floss your teeth and do it daily.
• Visit the dentist regularly.
• Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, and limit the amount of sugary foods you eat.
So, for a lifetime of beautiful smiles, keep brushing!
~Mrs. Jeanmarie Evans, RN
4
Curriculum Corner
Kindergarten
Hip! Hip! Hooray! We have been counting down our days of school to the big
100th day! This year we will celebrate Valentine’s Day and the 100th day together.
We will make some “HEART ART” and do all kinds of special 100th day activities
too. We are enjoying the amazing and creative 100th day projects that each family
is making with his/her kiddo and we will have them on display in the hall. We
completed our unit on Outdoor Explorers and we started our new unit all about
CELEBRATIONS. We finished our math units all about Addition and Subtraction
and have moved on to numbers 11-19. We will learn all about the Presidents in
February too….Abe Lincoln and George Washington. Read Across America Day
is on March 2nd and we will be celebrating Dr. Seuss’ birthday too! Mrs. Hein was
able to move to her “temporary” classroom in October and now it is time for Mrs.
Jones’ kindergarten kiddos to move to our “temporary” classroom over the
President’s Day weekend break. We will be moving into Mr. Figueroa’s 3rd grade
classroom (which is right across the hall from the library). Wow…with so many
things happening…it looks like March will be “Roaring” in like a Lion! J Stay
Warm!
~Mrs. Mara Hein and Mrs. Nicole Jones
1st Grade
January was a busy month in 1st grade. We started off the year by
learning about place value in chapter 6. Then we continued on by
learning how to compare numbers in chapter 7. In language arts, we
started unit 4 in our LEAD21 program. This unit is entitled “Earth’s
Treasures”. It ties in with earth science and focuses on our planet’s
natural resources. In social studies, we learned about that famous
American, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ask your little historian tell you
what he or she learned about this amazing person! We ended off the
month of January by attending an exciting assembly program with the
LV Phantoms!
~Miss Tara Lewis, Mrs. Sandra Lucas and Miss Sonia Myslinski
5
Curriculum Corner
2nd Grade
2015 has been filled with brand new beginnings for our second graders! We began
learning how to solve multistep problems! The children are enjoying the challenge.
Math journals and “problem of the day packets” are another new addition to our
curriculum. Each class is currently wrapping up their units on 3-digit addition and
subtraction, with and without regrouping. Coming up in unit 7, we will be studying
telling time and money. Caching $$
Is the weather outside frightful? Or do you find it delightful? Our fourth LEAD
21 theme is entitled Seasons and Weather. This unit explores our theme’s question
of “How do weather and seasons affect our lives?” Through the use of our guided
reading books and our nonfiction/fiction big books entitled The World of Weather
and When the Moon is Full, the children are learning about:
*what patterns we see in seasons and weather
*how life changes along with the seasons
*how severe weather affects us
*how we can measure and predict weather
Don’t forget to check out the LEAD 21 web site to learn about out all the cool
things we are studying in this unit! https://www.wglead21.com/glogin.html
Speaking of new beginnings, we started the New Year with our second science unit!
The essential question for our science unit was “What observations can we make
that show the earth is constantly changing?” We discussed such topics as why we
have day and night, the phases of the moon, what patterns we see in seasons and
weather, the water cycle, erosion and rocks. We loved the experiments that
accompanied this unit!
Brrrrrr! This has been a very cold and snowy winter so far this year. The adorable
snowman writing/art projects that line the second grade hallway certainly have
brought a smile to everyone’s face on these cold and frosty days.
Speaking of cold and frosty days, please make sure your child is dressed
appropriately for outside recess. Winter coats, hats, scarves and gloves should be
brought to school on a daily basis.
The second grade team wishes all of our Kratzer families a Happy Valentine’s Day!
~Mrs. Wendy Hanlon, Mrs. Tara Kuder and Mrs. Kristin Madeira
6
Curriculum Corner
3rd Grade
Your children are about half way through the school year and are well on their way to
becoming fourth graders! Despite Mother Nature’s best efforts, we have been busy progressing
through our curriculum.
In reading, we have moved into Unit 5: Heroes Across Time in our Lead 21 reading
series. Students will be reading and thinking about the Unit’s Main Thematic Question: What
qualities do heroes have? Students will practice making generalizations, summaries, and
determining important information. Students will also recall their knowledge of what it means to
make an inference and using clues to make story predictions.
Although we have moved past our study of multiplication, it is imperative students
continue to practice their facts. February will be spent working through Go Math’s Chapter 10Measurement Unit. Students will learn about time, length, liquid volume and mass.
Suppose you had a task to perform, such as opening a stuck window or cracking a nut.
You’d have to apply some force to the window or nut. What would you do if you weren’t able to
apply enough force? You use a machine! In science, we will begin our study of Chapter 3: Force,
Motion, and Machines. What are forces and How do machines make work easier will help guide
and focus our study. Students will be able to identify each type of simple machine and explain
how they make jobs easier.
~Miss Rachelle Elneus, Mr. Jason Figueroa, and Mrs. Carla Hillard
4th Grade
Fresh off a Math chapter of “Adding and Subtracting Fractions”, our grade level LIFTS
the calendar for the fifth time this school year. In reflecting, with a report card soon to
be in hand in early February, we realize we have completed
of the 2014-2015 school year.
On the large scale, within our LEAD 21 Reading Unit, the fourth grade will continue to
explore the Milky Way Galaxy and all its stars and planets. Suppose one could say, we will
have our head in the STARS! In this unit we are searching for answers to interesting
questions, such as: Does the moon give off light?; Why does the moon appear to change
shape?; What causes the four seasons?; What causes the tides to form?; as well as many
other student-generated questions.
The powerful FORCES of magnetism and electricity will ATTRACT us to science. As we
investigate theories, sometimes what one HYPOTHESIZES won’t always apply. For
instance, shockingly, not all things made of metal will be attracted to a magnet. Yet,
aligned in a series or parallel circuit, electrons will flow, BATTERIES (D-Cells) will
recharge, and our little LIGHTBULBS will glow!
Although we reflect on the ½ way point, we set our sights on continuing our studies of
FRACTIONS in GO Math. Looking to LEAD, we depart from SPACE only to reenter into
America’s HEART and as related to the geography, economy, history, and culture of the
region. So until next month- keep reading, studying, and most of all learning!
~Mr. Derrick Green, Mrs. Jenna Sell and Mrs. Jennifer Sicinski
7
Curriculum Corner
5th Grade
Happy February! The fifth graders have been very busy in the new year. We have been
studying Fractions in our new Go Math program. We just completed Adding and Subtracting
Fractions, and now we are moving on to Multiplying and then Division. We have found that
students that are familiar with their Math facts are learning the new concepts much more quickly.
Please take the time to review these with your child.
Officer Keck has started the DARE program with the fifth graders. This program helps
the kids learn how to deal with peer pressure and how to make good, healthy choices in their
lives. A DARE graduation will be held at the end of the program sometime in April.
In Social Studies we will be studying the Revolutionary War. The students will
participate in many hands-on activities to help them to understand the important events leading
up to the American Revolution.
With the PSSA tests on the horizon, students should keep on practicing their
multiplication and division facts to ensure their success on the test. A few minutes of practice
each night will go a long way!
The fifth grade team wishes all of the Kratzer families a happy Valentine’s Day!
~Mrs. Alexandra Boyle, Mrs. Sallie Gehman and Mrs. Amy Rabenold
8
PTO NEWS Kratzer Yearbook Update
•
Yearbook order forms will be collected in February. Once again, we will
include the Notes Section where family and friends can write something
special to their favorite students, teachers or staff members! The notes
order forms will be going home soon. The link to upload photographs
will also be available soon.
Kratzer Kountry Fair
• This years Fair is on Friday, May 8th. Our next meeting is scheduled for
February 18th at 7:00 PM. All parents are invited to attend. Please help
support our biggest fundraiser of the year!
•
The planning for the Kratzer Kountry Fair is underway.
Fifth Grade Picnic Committee
• The firth grade picnic committee will be meeting on Wednesday,
February 4, 2015 @ 7 pm in the library. All 5th grade parents are
welcome to come help plan the festivities.
Kratzer PTO Scholarship
• The Kratzer PTO offers a $500 scholarship to a Parkland high school
senior who attended Kratzer for three years. The information regarding
the scholarship is available at the high school guidance office.
Next Meeting
Our next PTO meeting will be held
Tuesday, February 3rd at 7:00 PM in the school
library.
9